What is Total Alkalinity?
Total Alkalinity (TA) is a measurement of all carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and other alkaline substances found in swimming pool water.
The key purpose Total Alkalinity serves is to help manage or control the pH in the pool.
Essentially, it stabilizes the pH and keeps the pH from "bouncing" all over the place. It does this by acting as a buffer so that when materials are added to a pool that would cause the pH to go up or down, these changes are controlled and do not result in severe changes to pool water balance.
Total Alkalinity does not determine what the pH will be but rather acts to help keep the pH in the desired range.
When learning about how to keep your pool water chemically balanced, it's important to not only look at the individual components but also how they are interdependent.
With a little practice and regular attention, you'll become more confident in your ability to maintain proper chemical balance. Until then, we're always here to help you keep everything on track. Having problems balancing and maintaining your pool water? NO PROBLEM! Bring your water sample into one of our stores & let our chemical experts test it for FREE!
Have a chemical question? Your pool is our business, so don't be shy!